No public inquiry into Jeffrey Epstein’s actions in UK deliberate – however PM will meet victims
The government said Andy Burnham is committed to meeting victims of paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein – but said an inquiry into his actions in the UK is not being considered
Victims’ hopes of a public inquiry into disgraced paedophile Jeffrey Epstein‘s actions in the UK were dashed on Wednesday – after initially being raised.
Andy Burnham is considering meeting victims and look at possible options forward, but no inquiry is actively being considered by Downing Street.
Confusion erupted on Wednesday after Victims Minister Alex Davies-Jones said the new Prime Minister is “looking into” a possible public inquiry into the UK actions of Epstein, as well as into the alleged actions of former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed.
Ms Davies-Jones said she has “been assured that the Prime Minister is taking this very seriously” and had agreed to meet with the late American financier’s victims.
Ms Davies-Jones, an ally of Wes Streeting, resigned as Victims Minister in May, criticising a lack of “bold, radical action” under former prime minister Keir Starmer. She returned to the position when Mr Burnham took office, saying she had received assurances he “will work with us to look at systemic change across the system for all victims, whether that be the Epstein victims, Harrods survivors, grooming gangs victims”.
But a statement from the Ministry of Justice later said: “Our thoughts are firmly with the victims of Jeffrey Epstein, who have survived devastating trauma. As Minister Davies-Jones said, we are reviewing what is possible and will look at all options to support victims and survivors.
“The Prime Minister is committed to meeting with victims, but a public inquiry is not being actively considered.”
According to the BBC, leading Labour campaigners on Violence Against Women and Girls sent Mr Burnham a document calling for full public inquiry into the UK activities of Epstein. He reportedly received the document as he was finalising plans to become PM.
Asked if a public inquiry into Epstein is a possibility, Ms Davies-Jones told BBC Newsnight on Tuesday: “We are looking into this, we are reviewing what is possible… same with Harrods survivors.
“We already have a now statutory inquiry underway for the grooming gangs victims. I have been assured that the Prime Minister is taking this very seriously.
“He will meet with those victims and he is looking at what is possible, now he has access to all of the information as Prime Minister to see what action we can take.”
Ms Davies-Jones, who was re-appointed as Victims’ Minister last month when Mr Burnham entered No10, said she received assurances from him before deciding to take the job again. “I was having multiple conversations with him and his team,” she said.
“He agreed to meet with the Epstein victims. He was in close contact with them throughout that period where he was becoming Prime Minister, and he has assured me that he will meet them now he’s Prime Minister and will work with us to look at systemic change across the system for all victims, whether that be the Epstein victims, Harrods survivors, grooming gangs victims.”
She continued: “What more can we do to truly make sure that our criminal justice system is taking victims seriously, that they can rebuild that faith and trust in the system again? And I have had assurances from the Prime Minister that he’s willing to do that and make that happen.”
After Ms Davies-Jones’s comment about an inquiry, Anoushka di Georgiou, an Epstein survivor, admitted: “Survivors have heard promises before, so what matters now is action, not headlines.
“If there is to be a public inquiry, it must include all three cases.” Asked about a public inquiry on Wednesday morning, Justice minister Jake Richards said Mr Burnham would take his time to decide the “best route for victims”. He said: “Well, I know that Alex and the Victims Minister have discussions with the Prime Minister about it. It’s right that we look into what we can do.
“No stone should be left unturned when we consider these horrific crimes that seem to have happened at a huge scale. The Prime Minister will look into it. He’ll take his time, no doubt, to think about the best route for victims, but also to crucially ensure lessons are learned to make sure that these sorts of things never happen again.”
Regarding Epstein, the document reportedly calls for the scope of any Epstein inquiry to focus on UK borders and question how he was able to fly in and out of UK military bases on his private jet – often with women who had allegedly been trafficked.
